EasyJet Easter sale broke ad rules

Low-cost airline easyJet broke advertising rules by raising fares after promising a 25% discount on all its routes, according to a watchdog.

Some passengers taking advantage of the Easter deal would have paid more for a seat than before it was introduced, the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) ruled.

Easyjet's advertisement stated 'Early Easter Sale - up to 25% off' on all seats on every route each day from March 14 to June 30, including Easter and half-term. Two complainants said they had checked flight prices before and during the promotion but could find no evidence of cheaper fares.

Upholding the complaint, the ASA acknowledged that easyJet offered discounts of up to 25% on every seat and on every day of the promotion, and that the airline followed the rules by offering the maximum discount of 25% on 10% of all seats. However, demand increased some fares to the point that customers would have been better off buying them before the promotion began.

The ASA said: "We considered that, because the ad stated 'Up to 25% off every seat, every route, every day', most customers would expect fares to be cheaper than if they had booked tickets in the period immediately before the promotion began, for the whole of the promotional period.

"Because that was not the case we concluded that the ad was misleading."

It told easyJet not to use the claim again unless it made clear that prices, although discounted, could rise during the promotion.

Defending the advert to the watchdog, easyJet said seats normally started off at their cheapest price, which slowly rose as the departure date approached.

It was "entirely possible" that a customer would see fares increasing, even during a discount period, as the departure date approached, the airline said.

All customers who bought tickets during the promotion had their price discounted, it added.